When I Am Overwhelmed...

When I am overwhelmed,
You alone know the way I should turn.
-- Psalm 142:3a (NLT)

My personal edit of a powerful prayer adapted from John and Charles Wesley's Covenant Service:

Lord Jesus, here we are, lost creatures apart from You, and enemies to God, under His wrath and curse. Lord, undertake for us, reconcile us to God, and save our souls. You have promised not to refuse us, for we have nowhere else to go. If we had come in our own righteousness, you would with good reason have sent us away; but since we come at the command of the Father, and because of Your great love, we know You will not reject us. We come, Lord. We believe, Lord. We throw ourselves upon Your grace and mercy. We cast ourselves upon Your blood. Do not refuse us. We have nowhere else to go. We need nowhere else to go. Here in Your presence is where we belong. Here in Your presence is where we will remain. On You we will trust, and rest. On You we lay our hope for pardon, for purity, for life, and for salvation. If we perish, we perish on Your shoulders. If we sink, we sink in Your ship. If we die, we die on Your doorstep. Do not ask us to leave, for we will not leave. We will abandon ourselves to You, not from You. You alone are our Life, our Lord, our Everything.

God, I (We) Need You!
Grateful

The Sender of the Snow

We are experiencing our first substantial snowfall of the season. The local forecast is calling for 2-5 inches of accumulation but that may be a little conservative?

There's something mysterious and marvelous about the first snowfall of the year. It tends to slow us down a bit and causes us to remember that we are not the ones who are really in control. The Sender of the Snow is.

He does great things which we cannot comprehend.
For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth’...
-- Job 37:5b-6a (NKJV)

Fresh fallen snow reminds us of purity. Under a fresh blanket of snowflakes, the world seems almost innocent. As I sit here by the window in the soft glow of our decorated Fraser Fir Christmas tree, the snow is still coming down. It's as if time is standing still. And it seems I can faintly hear voices throughout the ages singing that familiar, sacred, and beloved hymn of the holy days:

Silent Night, Holy Night,
All is Calm, All is Bright.

Thank you Lord, Oh Great Sender of the Snow. Thanks for being in control and for proving it most undeniably by being the Sender of Your Son. Long before today's snowfall arrived to bring a blanket of purity to the landscape, Your Son arrived, was wrapped in a blanket, to purify our lives from sin. As time seems to stand still, I give thanks for the silence, the holiness, the calmness, and the brightness of Your amazing love. It is all quite mysterious, but even more marvelous. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

ALL JOY TO YOUR WORLD!
Grateful

Ears Wide Open

Here's a little, original prayer chorus that I wrote down on a sticky note while driving my vehicle one Tuesday morning after meeting with my Pastor's Prayer Patrol. Ever since I first heard it in my head, I've been singing it from my heart as The Holy Spirit is ever-faithful to bring it to mind:

God the Father, God the Son,
God the Holy Spirit... One.
Reign in me, with purity.
Let Your perfect will be done.

Are you familiar with this irresistible invitation from Almighty God recorded in Isaiah 55:3? Come to Me with your ears wide open... (NLT)

My God, teach me to pray, help me to listen, encourage me to obey everything You say. I want to live for Your glory from a totally surrendered heart. In the name of the One called Wonderful I pray. Amen.

ALL JOY!
Grateful